I've tried to keep record of some/most of the books I've read over this past year, because that's interesting to look back at. The "for-school" reading is for either The Study of the Novel, Shakespeare, American Lit or Literary Traditions at RSU. There are likely lots of others I missed; but these following are the books I know that I read cover-to-cover this year. They'll be arranged as chronologically as possible within their sections.
NOVELS (AND PLAYS) READ FOR SCHOOL -
Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen
I haven't read much of Austen yet, but this is my favorite of hers. Everyone else in the class loathed it; but I felt right at home in the early-1800's setting and writing style. Austen was snarky and intelligent, and while she didn't care much for all of society's conventions, she recognized that they were there for a reason.
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin was a deeply unhappy single mother in the 1890's with a meager amount of talent and a heck of a lot of pent-up frustration and anger at the world in general. She would occasionally write a nice phrase or sentence by accident, only to realize what she did and erase it with two dreadful sentences to close the paragraph. She would often go on long abstract tangents. Her writing is very vulgar; used in the original Latin sense of commonness. There is nothing extraordinary about it.
About the plot of this book....I really don't care about a married woman having an affair and committing suicide when the man she wants won't agree to run away with her. It's just an extremely painful book to slog through, reading from a Christian perspective as Edna Pontellier's downward spiral continues with nothing to stop or slow it down. I was yelling and pleading with her on every page. Also, it was set in Louisiana, and I don't know French. That didn't help much, either.
A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce
...HELP!!!!!! Joyce takes the stream-of-consciousness style and accelerates it radically; and Stephen Dedalus is kind of a stand-in for Joyce himself, tracking his life up until he finishes the book. It's rather self-aggrandizing and such a headache to read. It also prominently features a ton of references to then-current Irish political affairs, with no explanation.
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This is a wonderful book, in my opinion. Others hate it; there's not much in-between. It is realistic? Very much so; it captures high-end Roaring Twenties life extremely well. Is it sad and rather depressing? Yeah, at times. But it illustrates really well Christ's point in Mark 8:36, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?"
Nick Carroway is a terrific narrator, but Daisy Buchanan...I've never been quite sure what I think of her. She's a character, for sure. And she's selfish. And that hurts Nick so much, and us along with him...
The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway
The amount of alcohol consumed in this book is simply staggering. Also, Hemingway's journalistic style forces the reader to really search between the lines a lot. Jake Barnes is another fantastic narrator; and Americans in Europe gives a different look at the Roaring Twenties than we usually think of(that's illustrated well in Gatsby).
The Stranger, by Albert Camus
There is absolutely nothing of value to be found anywhere in this book. (And when I say that....) The plot follows an extremely apathetic man named Meursault in North Africa somewhere who commits a murder for no reason and then languishes in prison.
Go Tell It On the Mountain, by James Baldwin
Writers write, and readers read, connecting wherever they can. Sometimes that works better than others. I just couldn't connect to anything in this book, really. It was too urban(Depression-era New York City), and too black(lots of cultural history and bonds that white people don't have), and too Pentecostal. And the protagonist is likely gay, which is strike four. As a character study, it does well, vividly tracing the hurts of three generations, but there really isn't much plot at all. The climax is a likely-false spiritual experience-"conversion" which is even more abstract than Kate Chopin.
Sula, by Toni Morrison
This is....a really strange, weird, and violent book. There some interesting passages about the dynamics of small-town communities when facing trouble, but I certainly wouldn't have read it if I didn't have to.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera
You don't see many novels set in Soviet-occupied countries. The Russians invade Czechoslovakia in the late sixties, and this book follows how a handful of loosely-interconnected people deal with that. It's pretty hard to read, honestly, because it's so bleak. But it's an interesting look at how the Soviet mind worked. And there are a few good passages about the concept of loyalty to country and the love of dogs. And the narrator uses an unusual technique of intruding into the tale to remind us that we're reading a book.
Blankets, by Craig Thompson
Graphic novels take a very specialized skillset. They're hard to read if you're not used to them, though. This is somewhat like Portrait in that it's a fictionalized autobiography, and like Chopin's Edna and Joyce's Stephen, Craig Thompson rejects the church explicitly, believing that it is incompatible with artistic freedom and expression. It's very depressing and I pretty much hated it.
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
I just don't really care much for young-adult fiction. They tend to all run together; first-person POV in a dystopian bleak world without any trace of hope, told by an arrogant and strong-willed female. The ideas behind this series were good; trying to modernize the Roman gladiatorial games and all, but most readers are too dumb, or too ignorant, of history for it to mean anything. I've got tears in my eyes just writing that, but it's true.
Anyway, I don't like Katniss, the book stretches on far too long, the idea of the Hunger Games is awful and sadistic, and the sappiness of the "I don't like either Gale or Peeta...but if I did, which one would it be?" element is way over-the-top and sickening.
Mockingjay is my favorite of the three, mainly because war leaves all unnecessary details out of the way, the role of the media during war is emphasized, and nearly everyone dies at the end because Collins was sick of dealing with the characters.
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
This was set during WWII, so that got my interest. The movie sounded great when it came out; and so for a "choose a novel within the last fifteen years" assignment came up, I considered this as an option. However, with about four days to read and then write an essay, it was simply far too large for that project. (It runs 550-ish pages.) But I'm glad I read it, and at some point I'm probably going to run through it again.
It's narrated by Death; which is weird. But it's about normal Germans during the war, who take in an orphan girl and then hide a young Jewish man. Lots about the power of books and reading that is great. But this is an extremely depressing read; like if you took the faith out of The Hiding Place. The non-chronological timeline was a bit hard to follow at times.
Marvels, by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross
For that same assignment that I read The Hunger Games and The Book Thief, I also read a collection of an early-90's Marvel Comics miniseries called Marvels, retelling the history of superheroes from the perspective of a very ordinary freelance photographer. That's a really cool way to tell a story. And also, it deals with what heroism actually is, our resistance to change, and our fragility as created creatures.
Despite being a graphic novel, it wasn't too hard to read. I'd recommend y'all take a look at it if you can.
Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles
One of the world's foremost tragedies, of the "trying to prevent awful fate brings it about" variety.
A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare
Lots of good quotes in this comedy; and a fairly quick read, for being Shakespeare.
The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare
This was hard to follow. It's a good societal study of the role of women in the late 1500s, but that doesn't necessarily translate into a good play...plus, nearly everyone is pretending to be someone else, so most of the time you have no idea who's actually in the scene.
Medea, by Euripides
...Wow. Talking it over in the hallway with a couple classmates, one of them said, "I really wanted to like it. And I almost did - just, it was so horrible!" I totally agree with that statement.
As You Like It, by William Shakespeare
Not very much plot in this one, but a lot of really good quotes, including the "All the world's a stage" speech.
Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare
This was actually assigned for two courses in back-to-back weeks. So I got a double helping of this one. Which is good, because it's my favorite of his. (The Joss Whedon adaption is really amazing, too.) Benedick and Beatrice are awesome.
Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurstson
A feministic tale of a self-centered black woman's life in the early 1920's. (Nothing much good happens to her.) The dialect is well-captured, but I certainly wouldn't have read it on my own.
Henry IV, Part One, by William Shakespeare
One of his histories; there's a civil war, and Prince Hal is a burglar who hangs out in the taverns with the common people.
Henry V, by William Shakespeare
Prince Hal is King of England now; they fight over in France, lots of French people die. Another of those that were dimly remembered from reading through the scripts with the Nolands.
Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare
"He was a boy/She was a girl/Can I make it any more obvious?" We all know this story's plot. And I love that opening. (It's from Avril Lavigne's song "Skater Boy".) It's rather a drag to slog through, and possibly Shakespeare's dirtiest writing, which is saying something.
Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler
No. Just "No." Because it's another YA book that's set in a dystopian future about a group of people traveling somewhere; told by an irritating first-person female narrator. And in this case, she also starts a cult. Another on the short list of "novels with absolutely zero admirable qualities", as I called it on Facebook.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, by William Shakespeare
The classic tale of revenge. It doesn't end well for anyone. But there are some nice quotes scattered throughout.
So Long a Letter, by Mariama Ba
A widow in an African country called Senegal complains about her life, society and men in a letter to a friend. Contains far more information about Muslim funerals than anybody really cares to know, but there are some good passages about education.
Othello, by William Shakespeare
Iago is a terrific villain. Other than that, this was hard to read.
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
A long and winding account of an extended black family somewhere in the Deep South in the early 1900s. Everyone is pretty dysfunctional, and the narrator is a lesbian.
Daytripper, by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba
This is a graphic novel written by Brazilian twins, following the protagonist's life in nonchronological order, emphasizing that any day he could wind up dead. It's very strange.
Macbeth, by William Shakespeare
Probably my favorite of his tragedies. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe it's the self-doubting aspect.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman
A book-loving seven-year-old English boy in the mid 1960s gets involved in a series of very strange events when he comes under the wings of his neighbors, three witches running a diary farm. There are no rules in fantasy, which is a big reason I don't get these kinds of stories. But this one grows on you.
Trifles, by Susan Glaspell
A short murder-mystery play set in an early 1900s Nebraska farmhouse in the dead of winter. Pretty good, though obscure, script.
A Long Day's Journey Into Night, by Eugene O'Neill
Very autobiographical(and very long) play set entirely within about sixteen hours in the living room of a family of semi-functioning alcoholics and a drug addict in 1912. Depressing. I now get the reference Tony Stark makes to it in Age of Ultron, which is about the only upside. Oceans of stage directions are included in the script, making for an even longer read.
The Tempest, by William Shakespeare
This is just strange and hard to define, but I really enjoyed it. And I think it was probably where a lot of the plot for The Little Mermaid came from(aside from Hans Christian Andersen's story, of course).
The Strange Library, by Haruki Murakami
This book's design is a nightmare. If you have to puzzle out for five minutes just to figure out how to open it, that doesn't bode well. And then with the closest equivalent being Alice in Wonderland in terms of story....yeesh. A boy is kidnapped by a cannibalistic librarian and jailed for a month, with his only companions being a man wearing the skin of a sheep and a possibly-invisible mute girl. Weird things happen.
A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams
Bruce Banner says it best. Where to begin....the set sounds like a nightmare to build, there's lots of piano music for no reason in the stage directions, and the characters are all detestable. A intolerable lady moves in for the summer with her sister and brother-in-law; the neighbors are just as bad as they are, and it ends with a rape. And then everyone is OKAY WITH IT?!!!
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
I hate Steinbeck possibly even more than Dickens. Nothing much happens until a handicapped guy accidentally kills someone, and then he gets shot at the end.
FICTION -
Hepatica Hawks, by Rachel Field
One of those 1930's moral coming-of-age stories along the lines of Lucy Maud Montgomery or someone like that; except this one follows a traveling freakshow, which adds a really interesting element. This book will leave you thinking for a while after reading it.
Batter Up!, by Nate Aaseng
A middle-schooler learns about prayer during a rough baseball season.
Tournament Upstart, by Thomas J. Dygard
This book is basically Hoosiers, except the time covered is a single weekend, the setting is the Arkansas state tournament, and it was published a handful of years before the movie came out.
The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
As the narrator's dad describes it in the introduction, this novel has "True love. Revenge. Adventure. Pirates. Good men. Bad men. Beatifulest ladies. Sword fights. Magic." READ THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY.
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
One of my All-Time Favorite First-Person Narratives Ever Written. This is such a wonderful book, it's hard to describe. Something about Scout's narration style, plus the narrative distance, and then Atticus, Jem, Dill and Miss Maudie...So much to chew over!
The Hundred and One Dalmatians, by Dodie Smith.
This is what the animated Disney movie was based on, and then the 1996 live-action remake, and to a larger extent, the late-90's Saturday morning cartoon series. The book is by far the best of all those, followed by the cartoon series.
Great Stories of O. Henry
A collection of some of the best of William Sydney Porter. Terrific.
O. Henry's Short Stories
Another collection of wonderful tales.
The Cemetery Club, by Blanche Manos and Barbara Burgess
Blanche was my grandma's best friend, so in a way, it was like spending some time with Mimi again, reading this book. I wouldn't have ever come close to reading it if Blanche hadn't written it, but it was nice for a cozy mystery written by an old lady who's taught school for most of her life.
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
I dislike sci-fi, especially dystopian sci-fi, almost as much as YA. But I loved this book. Not because it was all that good by itself; I mean, it was a sci-fi book set in a dystopian world. No; more because the author loves books and reading, and knows full well how powerful storytelling can be, and the moral of the story is to keep that love of reading alive; because if we don't, then all these horrible consequences will follow. The scary thing is, he was right on a lot of that. I once read a quote of his(before reading this book) that said the only people who are allowed to write sci-fi are the crazy ones(Star Wars novels and fanfic in general) and the people who are trying to save humanity from itself.
Peril at End House, by Agatha Christie
This one is not one of her best. Of the late fifties/early sixties "I'm cranking something out for the publishers because they're demanding me to" variety.
Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger
This was a very strange novel, but worth reading, and it was good. It's set in North Dakota, of all places, in the winter of 1962-63, as a single father and his two younger children search in an Airstream trailer for the oldest son, on the run from the authorities after accidentally murdering someone.
Jane of Lantern Hill, by Lucy Maud Montgomery
This was one of her last books, and you can tell. It's fairly boring, except for several passages about the importance of stories(both secular and in the Bible), and the magic and secrets of old houses.
Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton
This was a great book. I might actually buy it. The movie was much scarier, but the book goes into a lot more detail, like long conversations on the collapse of science and the failures of the university system. And on page 80, Dr. Ian Malcolm has a great quote: "Isn't it amazing? In the information society, expected to banish paper, but what we actually banished was thought." (See Bradbury's paraphrased quote above.)
Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
First, this book is 1,039 pages. Second, it's very hard to read at times, because of how hard the war is and everything. And Scarlett makes lots of decisions with no good sides. But I enjoyed it a lot, and will definitely reread it at some point.
The Ordinary Princess, by M.M. Kaye
This is a completely straighfoward, unironical, fairy tale. A fairy tale that is about a princess who is extremely ordinary. And it's amazing.
Once On a Time, by A.A. Milne
The author said of this story, "You will either like this book, or you won't. It's that kind of book." It deals mainly with how easy it is to deceive people to keep society running smoothly, so that's different than most fairy tales.
Death in Berlin, by M.M. Kaye
Not quite Agatha Christie, but pretty close. She was surrounded by military men all her life(her grandpa, dad, brothers and husband), so she traveled a lot, so it's fitting that this novel is set among military men who move a lot. It's also set in 1952, so the war is still very, very fresh in everyone's mind.
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
This was unpleasant. But I was glad I read it. It's a lot like George Orwell's 1984 that way. And like Fahrenheit 451, it presents an alarmingly accelerated version of where our society could end up. Borrowed this from the DeSpains.
The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis
If Brave New World made me uncomfortable because of what's going on in society, rereading Screwtape reminded me all too well that I'm a sinful human.
The Secret Adversary, by Agatha Christie
Tommy and Tuppence make a great team. Plus it's just a really fun read. Young twentysomethings just back from a war get involved by accident with international espionage.
Grave Shift, by Blanche Manos and Barbara Burgess
The second of Blanche's cozy mysteries; even harder to take seriously.
Best Left Buried, by Blanche Manos and Barbara Burgess
These characters drink coffee as much as Hemingway's drink alcohol....it's crazy. Also, there was no way I could take this one very seriously. But sometimes those are nice.
Chasing the Wind, by Robert Elmer
This is the fifth of an eight-book series about the adventures of 12-year-old Danish twins and their best friend during/just after WWII. In this one, they get kidnapped by a rogue Nazi submarine hauling lost treasure to Brazil. It was reread as research for a project me and my writing partner Ashland were working on.
Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare
I think this is my favorite of his plays; because of the insults slung between characters, especially Benedick and Beatrice. Shakespeare's still rather hard to understand sometimes, though. (Note: After studying about a third of his plays the next semester, it gets easier.)
Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee
This was the parent of Mockingbird; and it shows. The third-person narration is clunky and characters aren't as well developed, but there are flashes of greatness which led to her completely overhauling the story as Mockingbird, which flew to dizzying heights of success. It was pretty good, but not great. There was a lot of controversy about whether it ought to be published or not, which I haven't quite made up my mind about.
N or M?, by Agatha Christie
Another fantastic Tommy and Tuppence adventure, set during WWII, so that makes it even more fun.
Christy, by Catherine Marshall
The author fictionalized her mother's first year as a missionary schoolteacher in the hills of Eastern Tennessee. It drags on a bit, and I disliked the ending, but overall it was a good story. Felt like a cross between Lucy Maud Montgomery and Harold Bell Wright(Shepherd of the Hills) stylistically, which was good.
The Christmas Puppy, by Roberta Grobel Inrater, illustrated by Bruce McNally
The tale of a mischief-loving tan-and-white puppy named Tina, and the joy she brings to her family and a homeless guy named Sam. Terrific, quick, laugh-inducing and heartbreaking read.
The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson
Transmogrifiers! Hopeless attempts at playing baseball! Calvin pretending to be an elephant! Philosophizing while riding a death-wagon down a steep murderous hill! Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
The Essential Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson
More transmogrifying! Dinosaurs! The beginnings of Calvinball! Expressions of surprise! Susie Derkins!
Julie, by Catherine Marshall
Yeccch! Overly flowery, none of the characters feel honest, so it's impossible to care about anyone. This book was written with A Moral In Mind - that the church ought to do more to serve the needs of less-fortunate people. Also, she was an old lady the time she wrote this, and so she crammed her teenage biography into the story. And then she died, and her husband/editor didn't want to change too much about it. Would've been better if he had.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling
After two weeks as an English major, I realized something: There was at least one Harry Potter reference in class every day. Figured I ought to reread the first one, if not go through the whole thing, so I'd have some idea of the references. Still didn't like it.
Shane, by Jack Schaefer
Easily the best Western I've ever read, on the short list of my favorite first-person narratives.
The Lost World, by Michael Crichton
More dinosaurs! More tension! A couple more interesting passages about today's society to think about! Worth reading, though nowhere near as good as the original.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling
This book is really self-conscious about being a sequel. And Rowling's style is clunky, and I guessed most of the major plot points miles ahead of the characters. (I like Hermione, though.) But she does have a good way of depicting things in snappy ways. ("Mrs. So-and-So looked exactly like an underfed vulture.").
Come Rain or Come Shine, by Jan Karon
This fourteenth Mitford book deals with the stress and mayhem of planning a wedding....this time of Dooley and Lace. Mitford is a wonderful place to visit.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling
More of the same, this time with time travel involved. Yawn. (Hermione is still the best character.)
The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton
This was written by a Tulsa teenager in the mid-sixties. It's set in Tulsa, about social-class warfare. And then in the early eighties was made into a movie starring Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Tom Cruise. I liked it, and need to see the movie now.
Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
Possibly the saddest book ever written. But one of the most wonderful first-person narratives ever written. Because love is like that. And dogs are special. Set in/outside Tahlequah, which earns MAJOR bonus points.
The Christmas Doll, by Elvira Woodruff
Two orphan girls try to stay alive on the cold streets of Victorian London. It's a book about hope, family, and soldiering on to get through the day. From a technical standpoint probably not the greatest thing ever written, but it is a really good book.
Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, by James Luceno
The title is pretty self-explanatory...the story picks up right after Revenge of the Sith ends, in the earliest days of the Empire.
The Shakespeare Stealer, by Gary Blackwood
A young orphan named Widge is tasked with stealing the script of Hamlet, only to discover the power and joy that comes with acting.
Shakespeare's Scribe, by Gary Blackwood
Widge is now an apprentice with the Lord Chamberlain's Men; and after Mr. Shakespeare breaks his hand, he helps with writing the new play All's Well That Ends Well. More good passages on acting and that gray area between truth, falsehood and fiction.
Prey, by Michael Crichton
Nanotech robot insects terrorize a secret compound in the Nevada desert.
The Maze Runner, by James Dashner
Ashland has been after me for months to read this when I get the chance(those are the best kind of friends), and I finally found it in the Okmulgee library. It was really good for being a YA novel. All these teenage boys are trapped inside a gigantic maze with their only memories being their names. And then a girl shows up through the mysterious elevator.
The Light that Failed, by Rudyard Kipling
This is a story about two orphans who fall in love and grow up to be artists. So of course life won't be easy. The copy I read we found at a book sale, and it was so old that there was no copyright information.
Sphere, by Michael Crichton
My least favorite of his that I've read, because being stuck a thousand feet beneath the Pacific Ocean isn't too fun.
PICTURE BOOKS -
With an eight-year-old sister, that leads to lots of picture-book-reading. These will NOT be chronological, just whatever order I pulled them off the shelf.
Big Red Barn, by Margaret Wise Brown, pictures by Felicia Bond
A quick survey of the farm, with wonderful, bright illustrations. This is a good one.
Mice At Bat, story and pictures by Kelly Oechsli
In this picture book for early on-their-own readers, the mice that live and do janitorial work at the baseball stadium hold a championship game of their own one night. If you like baseball and personified animals, it offers an interesting idea(though not done as well as Leonard Kessler).
Paul Bunyan Finds a Wife, by Adele deLeeuw, pictures by Ted Schroeder
Tall tales are awesome. Especially when tall-tale legends get married; the teamwork adds to even greater, more ludicrous exploits.
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
"...and the Tree was happy." This book is one of the best examples of friendship and sacrificial love that I can think of.
Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman
His drawings are amazing.
The Best Nest, by P.D. Eastman
I don't much like either Mr. or Mrs. Bird, but I love the way they're drawn.
Go, Dog, Go!, by P.D. Eastman
There isn't much of a story in this one. Mostly a bunch of isolated pictures of dogs doing anthropomorphic things like wielding jackhammers, riding roller coasters and getting in car wrecks. It's one of my favorite picture books of all time.
The Relatives Came, by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Stephen Gammell
Anything Rylant is automatically awesome. This story tells about the visit of extended family.
Amelia Bedelia, by Peggy Parish, pictures by Fritz Siebel
This one isn't all that funny, but you had to start somewhere with a housekeeper that takes everything literally....
Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia!, by Peggy Parish, pictures by Lynn Sweat
There we go, Lynn Sweat's drawings are what we're used to seeing when we meet Amelia Bedelia. And as a substitute schoolteacher, things predictably don't go as planned. Hilarity ensues.
Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia!, by Peggy Parish, pictures by Wallace Tripp
Amelia Bedelia has to learn to play baseball to help the Grizzlies win their game against the Tornadoes. It's great. Mimi and Nano used to read it to me a lot.
The Great Corgiville Kidnapping, by Tasha Tudor
This is one of the best picture books nobody's ever heard of. It has a great world you want to live in for a while, filled with references to Julia Child, creative editing of angry swearing, and jokes about Nova Scotian raccoons. Plus amazing illustrations. AND it's a mystery/adventure!
The Scrambled States of America, by Laurie Keller
Laurie Keller is one of my all-time favorite picture-book authors and illustrators. And the answer to the question, "What if the states got tired of their neighbors and moved?" is wonderful. GO READ THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY!
The Scrambled States of America's Talent Show, by Laurie Keller
Really not that necessary....but I'll certainly read it, for another dose of her quirky style of humor and way of phrasing things. (Virginia is a very polite state...)
Open Wide, by Laurie Keller
Most of what I know about teeth comes from this book, which is what she intended, I think. Anyway, it's learning, and great characters, and humor, all wrapped up in one package.
The Year at Maple Hill Farm, written and illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen
Everyone's favorite farm to visit that you've never actually seen. And the drawings were done with Prismacolors!
The Hound From the Pound, by Jessica Swaim, illustrated by Jill McElmurry
Odd for a picture book to have British humor, but this is really good.
Frog Trouble, by Sandra Boynton
Boynton's another on my list of all-time favorite picture book author-illustrators, and this one is even better because it's a bunch of songs, sung by Kacey Musgraves, Brad Paisley, Allison Krauss and Josh Turner. (The songs are all hysterical, as you would expect.)
Barn Dance!, by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Ted Rand
This was a Reading Rainbow book; the farm animals hold a square dance while the farmer is asleep. Square dancing is awesome. Personified animals are great, too. Together? It's a good book.
A Pocket for Corduroy, by Don Freeman
I've never much liked Corduroy. I don't know why.
Froggy Goes To Bed, by Jonathan London, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz
You know what's going to happen in a Froggy story..but the pictures are really what makes them so enjoyable.
So Many Bunnies, by Rick Walton, pictures by Paige Miglio
One of the best ABC-centered picture books.
Adam Raccoon and Bully Garumph, by Glen Keane
Adam Raccoon was one of those characters that I always associated with Westville and the farm, like Amelia Bedelia or the animals of Wonder Woods. In this story, Adam's having trouble with a big bully that's always making soccer difficult.
More Bunny Trouble, by Hans Wilhem
Another adventure of Ralph the soccer-playing rabbit. Here he has to find his little sister Emily, who's gotten lost. Wonderful pictures.
Big Bad Bunny Trouble, by Hans Wilhem
A gang of foxes are going to ram down the door of the house to eat all the rabbits painting Easter Eggs. Can Ralph, who's been grounded in his room, somehow save them all?
Three Stories You Can Read To Your Cat, by Sara Swan Miller, pictures by True Kelley
Even before I had a cat, I would enjoy reading this. Even before I had a dog I enjoyed reading this. I think I just like reading about animals. And I enjoy second-person narration.
Three Stories You Can Read To Your Dog, by Sara Swan Miller, pictures by True Kelley
From a dog's perspective instead of a cat's, which is just as entertaining.
Mr. Pine's Purple House, by Leonard Kessler
All the houses look the same. (Think John Mellancamp complained about this around the same time.) How's Mr. Pine going to distinguish his from the rest? Leonard Kessler is another of Wesley's All-Time Favorite Picture Book Authors/Illustrators.
Kick, Pass and Run, by Leonard Kessler
The animals discover a football in the woods, learn how the game is played, and then start up a game of their own. SO GREAT!
Super Bowl, by Leonard Kessler
The Animal Champs and the Super Birds are all set for the Super Bowl. Who's gonna win?
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! The First All-Animal Olympics, by Leonard Kessler
The animals find the sports section of a newspaper, discover the Olympic Games, and decide to host their own version.
The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson
A boy grows a carrot plant in his garden, and eventually, with patience, time and loving care, a carrot grows.
Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson
This book's plot could be applied very easily to the process of writing a story.
The Bananas Move To The Ceiling, by Esther and Stephen Manes, illustrated by Barbara Samuels
The Bananas have a serious problem with messiness. So they come up with an....interesting...way of dealing with it.
The Crippled Lamb, by Max Lucado, illustrated by Liz Bonham
One of my favorites. There's been plenty of times I've felt like Joshua; especially as I've gotten older. This is just a wonderful story; a wonderful way of looking at the miracle of Christ's birth. And when I'm reading it to myself I always hear it narrated by Trinnica, because during AWANAS one Wednesday night at Southside she read it to a bunch of us.
Paw Paw Chuck's Big Ideas From the Bible, by Charles R. Swindoll, illustrated by Ross Vera
A bunch of the best-known(and best-loved) Bible stories, told at an introductory level, in order for them to stick. This is an amazing book.
The Goat ABCs, by Patricia Polacco
A goat-centered ABC book. Great illustrations.
Big Dog, Little Dog, by P.D. Eastman
Two friends argue over everything, and neither can get a good night's sleep while on vacation at the ski slopes. Plus more wonderful Eastman illustrations!
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
Everyone knows this story.
NONFICTION -
Once Upon a Town, by Bob Greene
A journalist inserts himself into his account of researching a remarkable community project during WWII by a small city in southwest Nebraska. It's an amazing book, simply because of the morale raised during the war and the sacrifices of those both on the front lines and back on the homefront.
Love Stories of World War II, collected by Larry King
The style these were written in was yawn-inducing, but many of the situations themselves, or characters involved, looked like terrific material to steal for a story. So for that reason, it was a good book.
The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
One of the most useful tools for writing well in print. Consult it often.
Mooring Against the Tide, by Jeff Knorr and Tim Schnell
Okay, this was a Creative Writing textbook, so I kind of had to read it at least eight times through cover-to-cover during the spring semester. But it was very instructive on the mechanics of poetry; how to write it, what it is, that kind of thing.
Adventures in the Screen Trade, by William Goldman
A sort-of-behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood, and comments about life and storytelling. (This book was published five years before The Princess Bride was released to theaters. The book had been out for ten years.)
Which Lie Did I Tell? More Adventures in the Screen Trade, by William Goldman
The sequel, written eighteen years after the first. More of the same type of material as the first. (Goldman is a fantastic writer.)
When Your World Falls Apart, by David Jeremiah
This was good. Lots of in-depth study of the Psalms, which are fairly easy to skip over and forget they exist. His attitude was basically, "Hey, life is hard. It's part of the way the world is, because of the Fall. But somehow that's part of God's plan. So keep fighting."
Caught Up in a Story, by Sarah Clarkson
This lady's writing was terribly clunky, but I loved her ideas. I just wished she could have expressed them better....It basically says that children need to be brought up immersed in stories(which is pretty much how I grew up, so I'm biased, but...)
Reagan: The Hollywood Years, by Marc Eliot
This was really interesting to read. Not just because Reagan was a good man to study, or because the studio-system era of moviemaking was fascinating(and unfair), but because of the author's thinking that sure, we all know about Reagan the president. But in order to understand Reagan the president, we have to find out how he became that man as Reagan the actor.
Ian Fleming: The Man Behind James Bond, by Andrew Lycett
This was very disappointing. It was extremely British, meaning full of high-class snobbishness. That could have been easily overcome, though; Fleming lived as those walls were coming down. (He was only about fifteen years younger than Agatha Christie.) But no; the author must give the life history of every single person who ever came into contact with Fleming at any point in his lifetime... I only plowed through because it's awful to leave books half-finished. Also, nowhere is there any explanation whatsoever for British academic terms or athletic awards.that played a role in schoolboy days. (If Laura Hillenbrand had been writing this, though...oh, well.) Anyway, Fleming was a very strange man, and his books are much more interesting than he was.
Say Goodnight, Gracie! The Story of Burns and Allen, by Cheryl Blythe and Susan Sackett
If I would've known anything about them before reading this book, it would have been better. George Burns and Gracie Allen were almost as famous as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, it seems. And their humor likely influenced the writers of The Dick Van Dyke Show and Parks and Recreation, among others.
Kids Say the Darndest Things, by Art Linkletter
Humorous quotes and exchanges from Art Linkletter's TV and radio shows.
Blogging For Writers, by Robin Houghton
This was somewhat useful; resulting in minor tweaks to both of my blogs. If I could invest more time to create a full WordPress website, it would be very useful. Bought at the Successful Writer Conference.
A Writer's Survival Guide to Getting Published, by Terry Burns
This was an expansion of a talk given at the conference by a friendly old guy now working as an agent, and it's basically "These are the rules to follow in order to have a decent chance at getting published." Extremely helpful.
Writing in Obedience: A Primer for Christian Fiction Writers, by Terry Burns and Linda Yezak
Besides knowing the rules for surviving the way to possibly getting published; as Christians, we have a separate set of rules to follow for life in general, and when life-rules and writing-rules seem to come into conflict, it's hard to know how to react. Self-promotion doesn't seem like being humble, for example. So this book basically says, "Hey, so we're assuming you're a believer. Do you like writing? Then write. Do you feel like that's what God has gifted you with the skills to do? Then write! The Lord's sovereign over everything, right? He'll get your work to the people that need to read it. You just write, and see what he has planned." Very encouraging.
The Very Best Baby Name Book in the Whole Wide World, collected by Bruce Lansky
That title sums it up. Baby-name books are extremely necessary resources for writers, and this is the best ever. Characters need the perfect name in order to get to know them, because that's usually the first thing we learn about a stranger. Everything else follows from that information.
Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and his Revolutionary Comic Strip, by Nevin Martell
Realizing just now that that is a very long subtitle. Anyway, this was a very unusual biography. It was written kind of like Bob Greene's Once Upon a Town, in that the author inserted himself tracking the story as a character in the story. Also, Watterson is so private and reclusive that he provided no help whatsoever, and neither did his brother. His mother helped out a little bit at the end, though. Anyway, it was a good book. And only an unusual man could create a comic strip as brilliant as Calvin and Hobbes.
How To Read a Book, by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren
This was very informative. By their standards, I probably am not very well-versed at reading. (Mostly I read fiction, or biographies. Very little for attaining new information.) I did wonder how much to trust it, though; being that it was co-written by Charles Van Doren, of the 1950's Quiz Show Scandal....
Keeping Our Children's Hearts, by Steve and Teri Maxwell
From the "Read whatever your fingers land on" category. Sure, the Maxwells were one of the early homeschooling families, especially when it comes to the Internet, but THEY WERE REALLY UPTIGHT. Like, you think of all those homeschooling cliches, realize they must have come from somewhere, and just cringe. Their motives were probably good, but the book seemed like a bunch of advice from a houseful of obsessively overprotective weirdos. And who wants that? (Said by someone who occasionally reads and enjoys No Greater Joy magazine...)
Altar Ego, by Craig Groeschel
Yecch. It might have just been presentation, or something, but this was pretty bad. Very "RAH-RAH-RAH! Isn't being a Christian GREAT?! Hey, did you see how humble I was being right there?" My response was more like, "Great, dude....can you go serve Jesus somewhere very far away from where I am right now?"
Parenting Today's Adolescent, by Dennis and Barbara Rainey
Not sure why I picked this one up; it was just sitting on the shelf and I grabbed something randomly. I agreed with most of what it said; though not everything. Anyway, might be useful to know for if I'm ever a parent.
Church Membership, by Jonathan Leeman
Very interesting, if a rather strange topic. One of those T4G books that always look worth reading. Read just after the announcement of a possible church merger, because I was curious about what it would say. It confirmed that I probably ought to study the book of Acts some more.
No Plot? No Problem! How to Write a Low-Stress, High-Velocity Novel in 30 Days, by Chris Baty
This guy is crazy.That title says it all. He started a movement of complete novel-writing in a month. Perfect for those people who've "always meant to write something, one of these days..." He's also really fun, in an off-the-wall manner. (FYI: It's really, really hard to try a NaNoWriMo project. But everyone should try it, preferably multiple times.)
Burning Bush 2.0: How Pop Culture Replaced the Prophet, by Paul Asay
Basically, this book says that God speaks to us through our entertainment, which can be seen in our love of stories and ability to create them. And how to sort out those messages that God's trying to tell us from the humans who "rather mucked it up", as Peggy Carter says in The Winter Soldier. It's the kind of book I'd like to write someday.
Strengthening Your Grip. by Charles R. Swindoll
Kind of reaffirming the principles to stand upon as a foundation in a sand-based world. Pretty good.
How To Have A 48-Hour Day, by Don Aslett
"These are the attitudes and some tips to get more done faster and more effectively!" Brought to you by the world's most famous and most successful janitor.
How To Survive Your Freshman Year, edited by Mark W. Bernstein and Yadin Kaufmann
A collection of advice for how to survive your freshman year of college. Some of it's useful, some not.
The Path to Home, by Edgar Guest
A collection of Guest's poems, which is terrific.
When Day is Done, by Edgar Guest
Another poetry collection.
The Friendly Way, by Edgar Guest
Another collection of verse from one of the best poets of the 20th century.
The Mind's Eye, by Kevin Clark
This was a textbook for Poetry Writing, I disagreed with most of its ideas and thought the rest were mostly unintelligible or unhelpful. But I'm old-fashioned when it comes to poetry, so that explains it. We barely even used it, so it didn't really matter. Maybe I'll do some of the exercises when bored sometime and like it better.
The Hidden Life of Dogs, by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
The comedy-drama of the life of one pack, as written by their scientifically-minded owner. Funny, interesting and sad at times, it was one of those "good books pulled from Okmulgee library book sale" finds. It would make a really great springboard for a Meerkat Manor type of fiction piece.
When God Doesn't Make Sense, by James Dobson
Sometimes He doesn't. And so we just have to try to trust that He knows what He's doing. Very good book.
Flannery O'Connor and the Christ-Haunted South, by Ralph C. Wood
She was an odd writer, but I kind of like her stuff. And this was written in a near-intolerably dull academic manner, but it was okay, overall. I read it for research on an American Lit essay.
Shakespeare and Masculinity, by Bruce R. Smith
A book I blazed through while researching an essay for Lit Traditions. It was very academic; but might be worthwhile if I had more time to study it. It kind of dealt with what it meant for Shakespeare's characters to be masculine.
The Gospel According to Peanuts, by Robert L. Short
This quick read was good example of the "How to Mine Pop Culture in Order to Witness to the World" style of evangelism. It's not a perfect book; because it was written by a human. But in general, it's good. (Also, I think this was the first book to take that approach specifically.)
Chicken Soup for the College Student's Soul, collected by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger and Dave Clark
Inspirational and encouraging anecdotes and scenes of college living. It's a formula, sure. But man, does it work well.
Concerning Cats, by Helen M. Winslow
This wonderful 1900 book is by a cat-lover for cat-lovers everywhere, and if you aren't one you will wonder why such a book needs to exist. But then, you are likely "one of those people that not only dislikes cats, but thinks it is a special virtue to dislike them", as Lucy Maud Montgomery said in The Blue Castle. For the rest of us, it's a pawfect treasure.
Maud: The Life of L.M. Montgomery, by Harry Bruce
This was a very well-written biography. About the only complaint I had was that it wasn't long enough.
Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography, by David Michaelis
Charles Schulz was a very complicated man. This biography was extremely well-researched; though at 565 pages can feel too large sometimes. The creator of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and everybody else reminded me a lot of myself...which was uncomfortable. And it's weird to be preached at by a biography.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, by Scott McCloud
A very comprehensive deconstruction of how comics work, and explanation of how each of the elements involved plays a role in helping the audience understand the story.
A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition, by Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez
A behind-the-scenes look at some of what went into creating the very first Peanuts television special.
Orthodoxy, by G.K. Chesterton
Kind of a spiritual biography, as he calls it. Very good read(look at "The Ethics of Elfland" especially.)
The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites, by Libby H. O'Connell
A history of America through quick snapshot sketches of popular foods which were culturally significant in some way. The author works for the History Channel.
Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, by Michael Davis
Somehow this guy made a history of something as colorful and energetic as Sesame Street read dry as dust. Maybe it's cause only about fifty pages(out of 350-ish) deal with the actual production lifetime of the show. Literally half the book is dull arguments between education professors and various government agencies during preproduction. And while the history of early children's programming was interesting, there was far too much information given in that area.
Yes Please, by Amy Poehler
Well-written sentences and really strange experiences rule about equally in this memoir. Written during the closing days of Parks and Rec, so extra points for that.
The Art of Voice Acting, by James R. Alburger
Basically, an introduction to the business of voice acting. Useful as a beginning textbook in terms of explaining the terms and concepts, now I just need to find more books on the subject.
Saturday Night Live FAQ: Everything Left to Know About Television's Longest-Running Comedy, by Stephen Tropiano
That subtitle pretty much sums it up. A history of the first 38 years of SNL, which makes it(so says the first page) the most recent of the four histories of the show. Reading through descriptions of famous characters and sketches from the late 90's, I was like, "Hey, I know that character! And that! And that catchphrase! How do I remember these?" And then I was all, "Oh, yeah....duh. Mom and Dad were youth pastors; and you always hung out with the cool teenagers." Anyway, it was a neat read.
You Can Write Greeting Cards, by Karen Ann Moore
A step-by-step explanation of the process of writing for greeting-card companies, specifically freelancing. It was published in 1999, so a lot of the info is too dated to be helpful, but it was interesting.
A Brief History of Anxiety - Yours and Mine, by Patricia Pearson
Traces both the concept of severe anxiety in society throughout history and her own struggles with dealing with off-the-wall fears and problems with antidepressant medications. It was interesting.
The Spiritual Discipline of Discernment, by Tim Challies
His first book, explaining what discernment is and why it's so important in the Christian life.
Christmas Songs and Their Stories, by Herbert H. Wernecke
Mom found this 1952 book at the Okmulgee library; it was fine, but not that great. I think the intended audience was choir directors. Two-thirds of the hymns I had never heard of.
Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life, by Douglas Wilson
A useful book on writing tips and suggestions for how to live in a way that will improve your writing, which is just one facet of your life.
Playwriting Brief and Brilliant, by Julie Jensen
This was a textbook for Dr. Blakely's scriptwriting course for Spring 2016, I got a jump on studying for it while on break. It didn't seem particularly helpful yet, but maybe that'll change. I do really like the author's name, though. I might swipe it for a character at some point.
Apples and Chalkdust, by Vicki Caruana
An encouragement gift book for teachers.
When You Rise Up: A Covenental Approach to Homeschooling, by R.C. Sproul Jr
The ideas behind this book on education are good, I guess....but it really just feels like you're being preached at the whole time. That's not much fun to read.
Kids Say the Darndest Things, by Bill Cosby
Apparently there was a remake of that series during the 90's with Bill Cosby as host? Anyway, this one wasn't as good as the original. Society became much more cynical from the 50's to the 90's. And Cosby tries to add clever reactions on top of the quotes.
Too Wise to Be Mistaken, Too Good to Be Unkind, by Cathy Steere
Mom got this on sale at Mardel thinking about giving it to Dayla, so I ran through it to see if she should maybe do that. This was a well-written account of a mother's realization that her son has autism, and how they dealt with that. Plus, it was published by Grace & Truth Books!
How NOT to Write a Screenplay, by Denny Martin Flinn
This was the other textbook for Dr. Blakely's Script Writing course that I was reading ahead for.
American Gun: A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms, by Chris Kyle and William Doyle
This was an extremely readable history of guns. It was really cool, and interesting to learn about a subject I wasn't too familiar with. Plus history is awesome in any format or type.
Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America, by Leslie Knope (likely really created by the staff writers of Parks and Recreation)
Fantastic. Literally the best book written by a fictional character that I have ever read.
Felines of New York, by Jim Tews
I got this as a Christmas present for Courtney. It's pretty great.
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